Government to eliminate 17 NTDs by 2020

The federal government of Nigeria has pledged its commitment to eliminate neglected tropical diseases (NTD) following a research, which focused on four countries- Ghana, Cameroon, Liberia and Nigeria

Speaking during the week in Abuja at the steering committee meeting for NTDs, the Deputy Director for NTDs in the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH), Chukwu Okoronkwo, disclosed plans to address current NTDs with a view to accelerate progress toward control and elimination. He noted that many endemic countries were striving to control and eliminate NTDs by 2020. He stressed that the federal government was committed to eliminating NTDs across the country.

Okoronkwo explained that efforts have predominantly been in relation to the Preventative Chemotherapy (PC) NTDs, namely: onchocerciasis, lymphatic filariasis, trachoma, schistosomiasis and soil transmitted helminths.

Despite these efforts, he noted that in many contexts there is a significant implementation gap between slow progress to date and impending control and elimination targets. As such, he added it has become critical to understand what factors are hindering progression, and what can be done to scale-up and accelerate toward these goals.

He disclosed that the committee was made up of expert from different field, from different institution, adding that there were partners who are also supporting program implementation in the country.